Season Preview: Class 1A, Sectionals #53-56

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"small"} --> <p class="has-small-font-size"><em>The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='455946' first='Sara' last='Parkison'] (2024) of Clinton Central High School.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Monday, October 17, will mark the start of official practices, therefore the beginning of the 2022-2023 high school season is right around the corner. With that in mind, I wanted to begin a thorough, multi-article preview spread throughout the next few weeks, looking ahead at each Sectional, the top teams, and preseason all-state teams. I will continue by taking a look at the second Class 1A North Regional, which incorporates the winners of Sectional #53 through #56. Below is a look at the teams in each of those Sectionals, along with some general comments and analysis.<br><small>(<em>SAG = Final 2021-2022 Multiclass Sagarin Rating (395 teams); SOS = Final 2021-2022 Strength of Schedule</em>)</small></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #53</font></strong><br>Northfield (13-9), SAG 182, SOS 198<br>Southwood (12-11), SAG 195, SOS 241<br>Southern Wells (6-15), SAG 300, SOS 229<br>Lakeland Christian (12-9), SAG 309, SOS 342<br>Canterbury (6-15), SAG 346, SOS 305</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Northfield Norse have had a nice run of talent and success over the past few years, and that should continue this year. In fact, they were nearly selected for a preseason Top-10 spot. They did graduate three Seniors in 2022, most notably <strong>Emily Pennington</strong> (<em>9.3p, 7.5r</em>), but the other two Seniors led the team in assists. Leading scorer and rebounder <strong>Hannah Holmes</strong> (<em>12.6p, 9.4r</em>), a 5-10 Junior forward, does return, and she will again be the focal point for the Norse. She is a solid all-around athlete, and she could very well average a double-double this season. 5-11 Sophomore wing <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1122656' first='Elli' last='Baker']</strong> (<em>6.8p, 4.0r</em>) saw a lot of minutes as a rookie, and I would expect a bit of a jump from her in Year-2, especially with added strength and experience. 5-8 Junior forward <strong>Eden Hoover</strong> (<em>6.0p, 4.2r</em>) is another nice, athletic forward who can play in different areas of the floor. From there, however, it will be interesting to see who mans the backcourt. 5-6 Sophomore guard <strong>Camryn Kuhn</strong> (<em>1.3p</em>) saw limited action in 13 games a year ago, while 5-4 Junior guard <strong>Jaycie Krom</strong> (<em>10 games</em>) and 5-6 Sophomore forward <strong>Kiersten Rife</strong> (<em>4 games</em>) will likely be next in line to add depth. If the Norse can find a little backcourt stability, and again use their frontline to dominate games, they could make another Regional or Semi-State run in 2022-2023. Wabash County rival Southwood also looks to contend for the Sectional #53 title, and they'll do so behind a strong Senior class. 5-7 Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='372349' first='Ella' last='Haupert']</strong> (<em>19.9p, 3.9r, 2.4a, 2.0s</em>) has been the main catalyst, going on four years now. She is a dangerous perimeter shooter, she can handle the ball, and she plays with a great deal of toughness. 5-9 Senior wing <strong>Aleia Sweet</strong> (<em>10.7p, 5.4r, 2.4a, 3.1s</em>) is another double-digit scorer who has made major strides throughout her career. 5-7 Senior forward <strong>Alaina Winer</strong> (<em>9.1p, 3.2r</em>) could prove to be a third double-digit scorer this season, which will help alleviate pressure from Haupert and Sweet. Additionally, the Lady Knights welcome the return of 5-9 Senior wing <strong>Meredith Norman</strong> (<em>5.5p, 4.5r, 3.5a</em>), who was injured early in the third game of the year in 2021-2022. 5-10 Sophomore forward <strong>Quinn Claussen</strong> (<em>1.5p, 4.1r</em>), 5-5 Senior forward <strong>MaKenna Younce</strong> (<em>1.3p</em>), 5-11 Sophomore forward <strong>Grace Drake</strong> (<em>3.1r</em>), and 5-8 Junior forward <strong>Lili Combs</strong> (<em>2.3r</em>) each saw action in more than 15 games a season ago and should provide depth this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Southern Wells will try to get back to its winning ways of the early 2000s, and with a number of returnees this year, they could post double-digit wins once again. 5-8 Senior post <strong>Zoe Needler</strong>, 5-9 Senior guard <strong>Avah Miner</strong>, and 5-6 Senior wing <strong>Hailey Duncan</strong> bring back the most experience of the group, having each been Varsity contributors for multiple years. 5-7 Senior wing <strong>Faith Blair</strong>, 5-11 Sophomore post <strong>Ashlie Needler</strong>, and 5-7 Senior point guard <strong>Kamryn Leas</strong> add a little more experience, plus the Lady Raiders will always play with energy and toughness. Lakeland Christian looks to at least replicate last season's record, and with 5-6 Senior guard <strong>Madison Stonebraker</strong> (<em>15.3p, 2.9r, 2.1s</em>) back in the fold, that seems very possible. The Lady Cougars did graduate <strong>Jessi Calizo</strong> (<em>11.9p, 6.3r, 3.2s</em>) and <strong>Natalie Norris</strong> (<em>8.0p, 2.6r</em>), so that will be someone difficult to overcome, however there are six other ladies who played in at least 17 games a season ago. 5-7 Senior forward <strong>Cara McCrum</strong> (<em>4.4p, 2.5r</em>) has the most experience of that bunch. This year, Sectional #53 welcomes Fort Wayne Canterbury to the mix after a 10-year stretch in Classes 2A &amp; 3A. The Lady Cavaliers graduated a handful of Seniors, but they return several members of both the 2023 and 2024 classes, so they should be able to match last season's win total.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #54</font></strong><br>Clinton Central (13-11), SAG 234, SOS 285<br>North Vermillion (18-9), SAG 272, SOS 359<br>Rossville (4-19), SAG 282, SOS 233<br>Faith Christian (9-14), SAG 305, SOS 340<br>Fountain Central (8-14), SAG 332, SOS 356<br>Attica (0-21), SAG 370, SOS 348</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With Lafayette Central Catholic back in Class 2A, after making a brief cameo in 2021-2022, Sectional #54 has quite a bit of balance at the top, so there are a number of different ways this thing can go in 2022-2023. Clinton Central has one of the best players in the Sectional in 5-10 Junior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='455946' first='Sara' last='Parkison']</strong> (<em>11.5p, 8.3r</em>), but they'll have to overcome the graduation loss of <strong>Kendall Davison</strong> (<em>15.8p, 7.4r, 5.3a, 2.8s</em>). Parkison does have the ability to step into that type of leadership role, and I fully expect her to be that productive, considering her skill, toughness, and motor. Additionally, everyone else returns for the Bulldogs, so I would call them a slight favorite at the moment. 5-8 Senior forward <strong>Samantha Adams</strong> (<em>8.3p, 5.3r</em>), 5-5 Junior wing <strong>Erika Robbins</strong> (<em>4.7p, 2.1r, 2.1a</em>), and 5-9 Junior forward <strong>Kortney Surber</strong> (<em>2.1p, 4.9r</em>) have all played crucial minutes in big games for Clinton Central. 5-9 Senior wing <strong>Autum Long</strong> (<em>1.8p, 2.0r</em>) and 5-5 Senior guard <strong>Abigail Newton</strong> give the Bulldogs more Senior leadership and depth. North Vermillion could contend as well, but they'll have to overcome the graduations of <strong>Ava Martin</strong> (<em>12.3p, 6.4r, 2.4s</em>) and <strong>Cami Pearman</strong> (<em>10.7p, 6.4r, 3.0a, 2.8s</em>). Seniors <strong>Callie Naylor</strong> (<em>5.5p, 2.4r, 2.9a, 2.6s</em>), a 5-5 point guard, and <strong>Olivia Pearman</strong> (<em>4.2p, 4.6r, 2.1s</em>), a 5-6 forward, bring back the most experience, however 5-6 Junior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='331783' first='Braxtyn' last='Dunham']</strong> (<em>5.0p, 2.6r, 2.0a, 2.4s</em>) could be in a position to take that next step and become a double-digit scorer this year. 5-7 Junior wing <strong>Lauren Ellis</strong> (<em>2.8p, 2.4r</em>) should provide some help along the frontline. Also look for 5-6 Freshmen twins <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486491' first='Cadence' last='Dunham']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486490' first='Kera' last='Dunham']</strong> to potentially have an impact sooner rather than later. This seems like a theme in Sectional #54, but Rossville must also deal with the graduation loss of <strong>Michelle Rodkey</strong> (<em>15.5p, 7.9r, 2.2a, 2.1s</em>). The Lady Hornets do return the Senior trio of <strong>Avery Gorbett</strong> (<em>8.5p, 5.1r</em>), a 5-6 forward, <strong>Tori Skiles</strong> (<em>6.8p</em>), a 5-3 guard, and <strong>Corryn Geheb</strong> (<em>3.8p, 6.7r</em>), a 5-6 forward, so there is optimism for improvement from last season. 5-2 Junior guard <strong>Cortney Huffman</strong> (<em>1.7p, 3.2r</em>) also played big minutes last year, so she should help solidify the lineup this time around.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The wildcard of Sectional #54 will definitely be Faith Christian. Why, when 36.5 points and 21.6 rebounds per game left via the diploma? Well, the Lady Eagles have two of the most dynamic guards in the Sectional in 5-7 Freshman point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486509' first='Maya' last='Layton']</strong> and 5-5 Freshman point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486538' first='Trinity' last='Wilburn']</strong>. Both are very athletic and creative off the bounce, and both can flat out lock up defensively. They will have their rookie ups and down, for sure, so they'll have to prove themselves in a setting where everyone will scout them and try to take away their strengths, but their talent alone nearly put Faith Christian into our Class 1A Top-10 to begin the year. Layton, in fact, has already picked up multiple Division-I offers. Of the Eagle returnees, 5-6 Sophomore forward <strong>Molly Miller</strong> (<em>4.5p, 6.7r</em>) and 5-5 Junior wing <strong>Ella Bolton</strong> (<em>3.3p, 3.6r</em>) have seen the most action, by far. Fountain Central will look to replace the contributions of <strong>Jerzi Hershberger</strong> (<em>8.1p, 6.7r, 5.0a, 3.4s</em>) and <strong>Larissa Bowers</strong> (<em>7.6p, 6.7r</em>), both members of the 2022 class, but with three Juniors and four Sophomores returning with experience, the future is bright for the Mustangs. 5-7 Sophomore wing <strong>Hannah Prickett</strong> (<em>6.3p, 4.5r</em>), 5-5 Sophomore guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1218629' first='Brailey' last='Hoagland']</strong> (<em>5.1p, 3.9r, 2.4s</em>), and 5-9 Junior forward <strong>Kacey Kirkpatrick</strong> (<em>2.5p, 2.2r</em>) look to be the three most ready to step up in 2022-2023. The Red Ramblers of Attica struggled through a tough year in 2021-2022, but they look to win multiple games this season, behind the return of two Seniors and four Juniors who saw a majority of the playing time a year ago.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #55</font></strong><br>Tri-Central (11-14), SAG 243, SOS 253<br>Cowan (7-16), SAG 278, SOS 230<br>Daleville (6-16), SAG 344, SOS 322<br>Liberty Christian (10-12), SAG 364, SOS 383<br>Anderson Prep (6-14), SAG 375, SOS 380</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tri-Central fell by two points in the Sectional championship game, however they return all seven players from their core rotation, five of which are Seniors (<em>the other two are Juniors</em>). They easily have more experience than anyone in this field, and I would consider them the early favorite in Sectional #55. 5-6 Senior guard <strong>Karley Leininger</strong> (<em>10.3p, 3.4r, 2.7a</em>) leads the way for the Lady Trojans. She is a playmaker who can score or facilitate. 5-7 Senior forward <strong>Gracie Grimes</strong> (<em>8.2p, 5.7r, 3.3a, 2.8s</em>) provides inside-out versatility, plus she has multiple years of experience. Seniors <strong>Abby Hoback</strong> (<em>6.1p, 2.4r</em>), a 5-5 guard, <strong>Megan Conner</strong> (<em>5.1p, 3.5r, 2.0a, 2.0s</em>), a 5-4 wing, and <strong>Allie Younce</strong> (<em>4.6p, 3.2r</em>), a 5-8 post, round out the Senior quintet. Look for 5-9 Junior forwards <strong>Elaynna Young</strong> (<em>3.8p, 3.5r</em>) and <strong>Natalie Newcom</strong> (<em>3.2p, 3.6r</em>) to bolster the frontline again this year. Cowan was the team who knocked off Tri-Central in the Sectional finale last season, but this year they must play without their point guard and leader, <strong>Lauren Smith</strong>. She is now at Anderson University as a student-athlete. Two additional productive 2022 grads are gone as well, <strong>Emma Johnson</strong> and <strong>Megan Morgan</strong>, so now the Blackhawks will have to turn to 5-6 Senior guard <strong>Josie Byrd</strong> for leadership. From there, it will be a number of Seniors and Juniors vying for opportunities.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Daleville will need to overcome the loss of multiyear performer <strong>Audrey Voss</strong> (<em>10.9p, 6.6r</em>), as well as three more 2022 graduates. There is some hope, though, as 5-8 Sophomore forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1122743' first='Trishell' last='Johnson']</strong> (<em>7.5p, 7.2r</em>) put together a fine rookie season. She will likely be the go-to for years to come. 5-6 Senior wing <strong>Maddie Etchison</strong> (<em>3.1p, 2.6r</em>) brings back at least some veteran leadership, otherwise the Broncos will be looking to a number of Sophomores and a handful of Juniors to step up and fill vital roles moving forward. One thing is for sure, though; they will compete each time out. The Lady Lions of Liberty Christian rode the offensive output of the graduated <strong>Maddy Rees</strong> (<em>17.7p, 7.7r, 3.9s</em>) a year ago, on their way to ten wins. Unfortunately, <strong>Rileigh Graham</strong> and <strong>Cydnie Layton</strong>, their third and fourth leading scorers, also graduated. Now the attention shifts to 5-8 Senior wing <strong>Shameel Clervrain</strong> (<em>9.7p, 4.6r, 4.0s</em>). She'll need fellow Seniors <strong>Jenna Rigdon</strong> (<em>1.5p, 2.5r</em>), a 5-7 wing, and <strong>Natalie King</strong>, a 5-10 front-liner, to take on much bigger roles in 2022-2023. That leaves us with Anderson Prep, and the Lady Jets are on the rise, seeing as though there were no Seniors on the roster a year ago. 5-11 Sophomore post <strong>Alivia Peoples</strong> (<em>12.1p, 9.4r, 2.5s, 3.6b</em>) had a nice Freshman year, plus she showed great potential throughout the Spring and Summer grassroots season. Look for her to continue her strong play in Class 1A. Fellow Sophomore, <strong>Kaylynn Orr</strong> (<em>7.1p, 5.1r</em>), a forward, also looks to be a lineup mainstay for the next few years. 5-5 Senior guard <strong>Kanyla Wills</strong> (<em>5.1p, 2.2a, 2.3s</em>), 5-8 Junior wing <strong>Julia Smith</strong> (<em>3.4p, 3.6r</em>), Sophomore guard <strong>Makenzie Armstrong</strong> (<em>3.3p, 2.1s</em>), and 5-4 Junior wing <strong>Aaliyah Stokes</strong> (<em>2.4p, 2.5r</em>) each averaged a bucket or more per game in 2021-2022, and all should continue improving upon that this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><font size="+2">Sectional #56</font></strong><br>Blue River Valley (24-3), SAG 71, SOS 286<br>Tri (18-6), SAG 155, SOS 280<br>Union City (15-9), SAG 190, SOS 251<br>Randolph Southern (8-15), SAG 289, SOS 263<br>Union (Modoc) (8-11), SAG 335, SOS 361<br>Cambridge City Lincoln (1-18), SAG 374, SOS 350<br>Seton Catholic (<em>no records from 2021-2022</em>)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blue River Valley has been the class of this Sectional lately, winning the last four titles. However, the loss of 6-1 post <strong>Ally Madden</strong> (<em>18.7p, 11.8r, 2.1a, 2.8s, 4.3b</em>) is nothing less than significant. She helped them to each of those four crowns, plus one Regional title. The Lady Vikings will also miss 2022 grads <strong>Samantha Loveless</strong> (<em>10.4p, 4.2r, 2.0s</em>), <strong>Samantha Webb</strong> (<em>3.7p, 2.5a</em>), and <strong>Jenna Willis</strong> (<em>2.6p</em>). However, the return of Senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='203655' first='Maci' last='Chamberlin']</strong> (<em>16.7p, 2.4r, 3.9a, 2.1s</em>) alone nearly had Blue River in our Class 1A Top-10 to begin the season. She is one of the state's best shooters, regardless of class, she is savvy, tough-nosed, and she plays with a motor. From there, though, a number of people will need to step up this year. 5-8 Sophomore wing <strong>Charlee Gibson</strong> (<em>4.5p, 3.6r</em>) showed a lot of promise amongst the veterans last season, and she could make a huge jump in Year-2. 5-10 Junior forward <strong>Maciah Driskill</strong> (<em>2.2p, 5.3r</em>), 5-9 Senior forward <strong>Trinity Driskill</strong> (<em>1.8p, 3.0r</em>), and Senior forward <strong>Kelsey Porter</strong> (<em>1.1p</em>) return with the most experience of the bunch. The Lady Vikings will still be very competitive in Sectional #56, however it will be much tougher to win the crown this time around. One of the main obstacles in Blue River's way will be Tri High. The Lady Titans are well-balanced, skilled, and talented (<em><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2022/10/season-preview-top-10-class-1a-teams/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2022/10/season-preview-top-10-class-1a-teams/" target="_blank">you can see their team preview here</a></em>). Union City graduated a couple of the most impactful players they've had in a while, but they do have some talent returning as well. Most noticeably gone are do-everything wing <strong>Mariah Claywell</strong> (<em>19.5p, 11.0r, 3.9a, 4.4s</em>) and 6-2 post <strong>Emily Livingston</strong> (<em>13.2p, 11.0r</em>). 5-5 Sophomore point guard <strong>Oaklee Reichard</strong> (<em>11.5p, 5.5r, 3.2a, 2.5s</em>) was impressive at times for the Lady Indians. She'll will likely become their top option for the next three seasons. 5-5 Senior guard <strong>Emily Evans</strong> (<em>8.1p, 2.3r</em>), 5-10 Junior forward <strong>Camryn Fischer</strong> (<em>3.0p, 2.6r</em>), plus Sophomore guard <strong>Gabby Ordonez</strong> (<em>2.3p</em>) are the next most experienced returnees, and the last two should each see a major jump in minutes this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Randolph Southern has a solid history of girls' basketball success in the 2000s, but it has been since the 2017-2018 season since they posted a winning record, and since the 2012-2013 season that they won a Sectional title. The return of a strong Senior point guard, plus reasonably experienced Junior and Sophomore classes could change that this year and get them on the plus side of .500. 5-6 Senior <strong>Kaibre Stephan</strong> is that lead guard, and her skill, veteran savvy, and toughness should help will them to a few victories alone. Add to that 5-9 Junior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='763653' first='Brianna' last='Smith']</strong>, 5-11 Junior front-liner <strong>Courtney Clear</strong>, and 5-3 Junior guard <strong>Alyssa Allen</strong>, and that's a nice nucleus to build around this season. 5-11 Sophomore post <strong>Alexis Schumaker</strong> and 5-1 Sophomore guard <strong>Mia Saylor</strong> could also be more impactful for the Lady Rebels this year. The Lady Rockets of Union (Modoc) have steadily improved over the last three seasons, and the return of 6-0 Senior forward <strong>Honour Ellis</strong> (<em>10.7p, 7.3r, 2.2b</em>) has to have them excited once again, as she can potentially reach the 1000-point and 600-rebound marks this season. She has size, skill, and experience on her side. 5-6 Junior forward <strong>Zoe Ogden</strong> (<em>9.2p, 5.2r, 2.2a</em>), 5-10 Sophomore forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1218605' first='Glory' last='Ellis']</strong> (<em>6.4p, 8.9r</em>), and 5-5 Junior wing <strong>Kaitlyn Holderman</strong> (<em>3.3p, 3.4r, 2.1s</em>) each played a lot of minutes a season ago. The Golden Eagles of Cambridge City Lincoln have struggled a little offensively the last three seasons. But with the return of their leading scorer, and three of the top four from last year, that should certainly improve in 2022-2023. 5-7 Senior wing <strong>Mallory Burns</strong> (<em>6.5p, 4.4r</em>) returns on the perimeter for Lincoln, while 5-6 Senior forward <strong>Grace Sherwood</strong> (<em>4.4p, 4.3r</em>) is their top option up front. 5-5 Junior guard <strong>Alivia Anderson</strong> (<em>4.3p, 2.5r</em>) will likely be their primary ball-handler, and she could make the biggest jump statistically this season. Seton Catholic has not played a full schedule in girls' basketball since the 2018-2019 season due to numbers. Hopefully this year the Cardinals can field a team, and Sectional #56 is where the IHSAA has them assigned, should they be able to play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->